Browse Items (1240 total)

  • Tags: military living conditions

AMawdsleyT150507.mp3
Ted grew up in Essex. Before the war he worked for the Marconi Wireless and Telegraph Company. He joined the Royal Air Force in 1940 and became an instrument mechanic. He was posted to RAF Elsham Wolds in 1942 and overseas the following year. After…

PNotonTE1901.jpg
Thomas Edward Noton was born in Greenwich on the 4th of April 1923. Upon leaving school he began a toolmaking apprenticeship, however, before finishing the course, Noton decided to join the Royal Air Force at the age of eighteen. He explains why he…

PJordanT2101.jpg
Thomas Jordan was born and raised in Hornsea, East Yorkshire, learning to fly privately at Hedon Aerodrome RAF Hull) and joined the RAF wanting to be a pilot. However, after failing the eyesight requirements, he trained as an armourer, dealing with…

PMarchantT1501.jpg
Tom Marchant had always wanted to fly and at eighteen joined the RAF as a Wireless Operator Air Gunner but was remustered as Flight Engineer after his initial postings to Warrington and Squires Gate Airfield, Blackpool. He describes his very first…

AWallerT151027.mp3
Thomas Waller volunteered for the Royal Air Force and hoped to be a driver. However, he undertook training as an armourer and was based initially at the Special Operations Executive 138 Squadron. He was posted to RAF Stradishall, RAF Wyton and RAF…

PWilsonT1502.jpg
Gabi Wilson grew up in Berlin and was a schoolgirl in 1939. She discusses one brother training as an interpreter and another brother returning from Russian prisoner of war camps. She worked as an apprentice at a publisher firm. She met her husband,…

AColesT150928.mp3
Tom Coles was born in Watford and signed up for the Royal Air Force at the age of 18. He went to Canada for training, a period saddened by the loss of his sister who was in the Women’s Auxilliary Air Force. Tom flew Manchesters, then went to 158…

PChardV1601.jpg
Vera was born in the Myrtha Tydfil area of Wales. Vera went to the grammar school at Chepstow before getting work in the cashier’s office at the Royal Navy Propellant Factory. After joining the Women's Auxilliary Air Force, Vera was posted to…

AWarwickWA180313.mp3
William was five years old when war was declared. He lived on a farm in north Lincolnshire not far from RAF Kirton in Lindsey, RAF Scampton, RAF Hibaldstow, RAF Blyton, RAF Sandtoft and RAF Sturgate. An anti-aircraft unit was also nearby. William…

PCoultonWA1608.jpg
William Coulton was born in Derbyshire and worked as an errand boy for the Co-Op until he joined the Royal Air Force in 1943, aged 18. He trained as a flight mechanic and was posted to 115 Squadron at RAF Witchford where he worked on Lancasters. He…

ACookeWH150902.mp3
William Cooke joined the Royal Air Force at the age of 18, becoming a rear gunner on Lancasters. He followed his brother and sister into the RAF.
Tells of his spell of guard duty on board a troop ship, and losing one of the people he was showing…

ABarkerWG160912.mp3
Winifred Barker grew up in Yorkshire and worked in an office before she volunteered for the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. She served as a clerk at RAF Oakley, an operational training unit.

MPowellNI1896919-191029-42.jpg
Invitation form CMC sergeants mess RAF Shallufa, and ticket to dance at the Maltese club Suez.

SGillK1438901v10028.jpg
Invitation card to graduation dinner of course 50 at Miramichi Golf club, Bushville.

PCulkinJ17010088.jpg
Album page, five photographs, first is of Jack with another SNCO, urban street scene in background, captioned 'Rome 1945'. Reverse captioned 'Rome May 1945, Darling, as I was when peace was declared in Europe, yours as always Jack xxx'.
Second is…

PUreIL1801.pdf
Dairy contains drawings, poetry, names and addresses, and cigarette packets.

SWeirG19660703v090020.jpg
Declares that he has 21 days recreation leave due to him.

This item was sent to the IBCC Digital Archive already in digital form. No better quality copies are available.

PLeadbetterJ16060034.jpg
Jack wearing his bomb aimer brevet, standing in the snow outside the wooden huts at his base. On the reverse 'Canada'.

PLeadbetterJ16060004.jpg
Jack, lying on a bunk, reading a booklet.

STyrieJSB87636v2.2.pdf
A wartime log kept by Jim Tyrie. He lists his crew on the night they were shot down over Berlin, the construction of tin trays, addresses of co-prisoners, cartoons, London restaurants, newspaper cuttings in German and English and finally more…
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